TRURO - Jeffrey MacLaggan loves being a police officer.
"My father was a police officer back home," said the 24-year-old Fredericton native.
"I always thought about it and I was an auxiliary constable when I was going to university and fell in love with it."
MacLaggan is one of the two constables working this summer with the Truro Police Service. Joining him is Kevin d'Entremont, who was with the force last summer.
MacLaggan's father Dave retired from the Fredericton Police Force in 2008 with 27 1/2 years of service, including many in the community policing section.
After finising his science degree (major in biology and minor in sociology) at the University of New Brunswick in December 2008, MacLaggan went to the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside and graduated in September 2009.
He met Const. Justin Russell at the academy and it was through that connection he became aware of the term position in Truro. He has been in the Hubtown since the first week of May.
"I love it here," he said. "The people have been very receptive of me."
MacLaggan and d'Entremont are currently working the beat but will go to nighttime patrol when the school resource officers take over the beat at the end of the school year.
The beat officers have been spending time outside on the force's bicycles, partolling the downtown core. The bike program was initiated in 1994 by officers David MacNeil and Lionel Wright.
MacNeil, who now serves as chief, said the service receives a lot of positive feedback about the bike and beat programs. Officers are reminding cyclists to wear helmets and stay off the sidewalks when it is safe to do so.
MacNeil said the force has issued tickets for cyclists riding on the sidewalks but it takes a "proactive approach" to enforcement.
"The officers do have discretion when enforcing the Motor Vehicle Act," he said.
With some streets being narrow and cars parked on both sides of the street it can be dangerous to drive on the side of the road.
"The big issue is for them to be safe," MacNeil said.
"We encourage everyone to ride responsible, wear a helmet and follow the rules of the road as best you can. You've got to be safe as well and if it means little kids are on the sidewalk than we'd rather that than have them on street and have them hit by a car."
He said compliance with the province's helmet law is getting better each year.
